9 things you need to know about Pope Francis's inaugural Mass

Pope Francis is having his "Inaugural Mass"? What happens in this Mass, and why is it important?

On Tuesday, March 19, Pope Francis will participate in his inauguration Mass.

If he hasn't been inaugurated, is he pope yet?

If he is pope, why is this called is "inauguration" Mass?

Here are 9 things you need to know.

1. Is Pope Francis already Pope, if he isn't "inaugurated"?

Yes. According to the Code of Canon Law:

Can. 332 §1. The Roman Pontiff obtains full and supreme power in the Church by his acceptance of legitimate election together with episcopal consecration. Therefore, a person elected to the supreme pontificate who is marked with episcopal character obtains this power from the moment of acceptance. If the person elected lacks episcopal character, however, he is to be ordained a bishop immediately.

This means that if the man elected pope is already a bishop (as Pope Francis was) then he becomes pope from the moment he accepts his election.

That happened during the conclave, and so Pope Francis is already, truly the pope.

2. Then why is he having an "inaugural Mass"?

Although "Mass of inauguration" or "inaugural Mass" is a common way of describing this event, it does not mean that he gains any office, power, or authority with this Mass.

It's just a way of commemorating his entrance into office--rather like an inaugural ball held after someone becomes president, except it is a sacred rather than a secular celebration.

3. How did this rite develop?

A form of inauguration Mass has been conducted for many centuries.

The early history of this rite is unclear, we know that by 1143, when Pope Celestine II was inaugurated, part of the celebration was the crowning of the new pope with a tiara (triregnum), a kind of three-level crown symbolizing the pope's authority to rule.

This became a fixed part of the rite until the inauguration of Pope Paul VI, who was the last pope to be so-crowned (see picture).

When John Paul I was elected, he omitted the crowning.

Subsequent popes have followed his lead.

4. Why have the recent popes not been coronated?

In past centuries, when the Successor of Peter took possession of his See, the triregnum or tiara was placed on his head. The last Pope to be crowned was Paul VI in 1963, but after the solemn coronation ceremony he never used the tiara again and left his Successors free to decide in this regard.

Pope John Paul I, whose memory is so vivid in our hearts, did not wish to have the tiara; nor does his Successor wish it today. This is not the time to return to a ceremony and an object considered, wrongly, to be a symbol of the temporal power of the Popes [N.B. that John Paul II emphasizes that seeing the papal tiara as a symbol of temporal or worldly power is a misunderstanding--ja].

Our time calls us, urges us, obliges us to gaze on the Lord and immerse ourselves in humble and devout meditation on the mystery of the supreme power of Christ himself. . . .

The Second Vatican Council has reminded us of the mystery of this power and of the fact that Christ's mission as Priest, Prophet-Teacher and King continues in the Church.

Everyone, the whole People of God, shares in this threefold mission.

Perhaps in the past, the tiara, this triple crown, was placed on the Pope's head in order to express by that symbol the Lord's plan for his Church, namely that all the hierarchical order of Christ's Church, all "sacred power" exercised in the Church, is nothing other than service, service with a single purpose: to ensure that the whole People of God shares in this threefold mission of Christ and always remains under the power of the Lord; a power that has its source not in the powers of this world but in the mystery of the Cross and Resurrection.

5. If the coronation is gone, what will happen in this Mass?

There are several noteworthy things that are expected to happen:

The pallium will be imposed upon (i.e., put on) Pope Francis.

He will be given the Fisherman's ring

All of the cardinals who are present will pay homage to the pope.

There are also some special rites scheduled to take place in the days following the Mass.

6. What is the pallium?

The pallium is a special kind of vestment worn by the pope, though it is also given by the pope to metropolitans and primates as well.

It takes the form of a long strip of cloth that is worn around the neck, though its precise form has varied in recent years.

Pope Benedict XVI initially wore a pallium that was based on older designs, but later he changed to a pallium of more recent design.

He also famously left the older-style pallium on the casket of Pope Celestine V, an early sign that he was thinking about papal resignations.

8. Didn't the cardinals already make an act of obedience to the pope back during the conclave?

Yes, but now they will make one publicly, for everyone to see. Papal Master of Ceremonies, Msgr. Guido Marini, explains:

Then regarding the celebration of the inauguration of the ministry of the Bishop of Rome, the act of “obedience” will be made by all the cardinals present at the concelebration.

Thus the act made by the cardinal electors in the Sistine Chapel immediately after the election regains a dimension that is also public and remains open to all the members of the College of Cardinals, while at the same time acquiring a character of catholicity.

9. What happens after the inaugural Mass?

The inaugural Mass is one of several celebrations prescribed in the Church's liturgical book for the beginning of a new papal ministry.

This is known as the Ordo Rituum pro Ministerii Petrini Initio Romae Episcopi (Order of the Rites for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome), which was published in 2005 by Pope Benedict.

In the days following the Inauguration, he visits the tomb of Saint Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles, at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

Later, he is seated on the cathedra as the new Bishop of Rome during a celebration of the Eucharist at Rome’s cathedral, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran.

Finally, he completes the rites by visiting the Basilica of St. Mary Major to venerate the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, “Salus Populi Romani” (“Protectress of the Roman People”), which is given great devotion by the Roman people and by popes throughout the ages.

Pope Francis has already visited St. Mary Major and venerated the Salus Populi Romani icon, so he may not do this a second time.

If so, he's already altered the expected rites (as is his right as pope), and there might be other surprises.

Comments

I was nice to hear the Pope to start the Mass with the Confiteor. Most of our Churches do not pray the Confiteor but just the Kyrie Eleison. Vatican II made it an option. That was wrong. I now frequently attend the Latin Mass because EVERY Mass is the same and reverent which is lacking in the New Mass.

Am I to understand that the new Pope is not enthroned during his installation. In the Orthodox Church a new Bishop of Patriarch is enthroned in his cathedral during his installation. I also noticed that all the Bishops wore miters. In the Antiochian and I think the Greek Orthodox tradition when Bishops con-celebrate with the Patriarch only the Patriarch wears a miter.

Posted by Mark on Monday, Mar 18, 2013 11:00 PM (EDT):

I think it’s a mistake to not use the coronation. Perhaps if people did see the Pope be crowned as essentially the superior of the world with the mission of bringing the world to Christ, the faithful (most importantly) may once again become submissive to his authority. The senses are very powerful suggestions.

Posted by Lyle Schoch on Monday, Mar 18, 2013 10:46 PM (EDT):

There appear to be 9 things about a lot of things that I need to know! Is there some significance to “9 things”?

Posted by William Callaghan on Monday, Mar 18, 2013 7:26 PM (EDT):

Regarding the act of Obedience, the Holy See announced that not all of the Cardinals will take part in it:

The “Obedience”:
Six cardinals, two from each order, among the first of those present approach the Pope to make an act of obedience. Note that all the Cardinal electors already made an act of obedience in the Sistine Chapel at the end of the Conclave and that all the cardinals were able to meet the Pope in the following day’s audience in the Clementine Hall. Also, at the moment of “taking possession” of the Cathedral of Rome—St. John Lateran—it is expected that the act of obedience will be made by representatives of the various members of the People of God.

That was stated at the press conference with Fr Federico Lombardi, Holy See Press Office Director earlier today.

God bless all at the Register and EWTN for their magnificent coverage
Tue es Petrus! God bless Pope Francis!

Posted by Joan LeBlanc on Monday, Mar 18, 2013 2:19 PM (EDT):

Thank you for your devotion to the Church and Our Lord Jesus. I listen to Immaculate Heart radio and appreciate your explanations on that venue. After 71 years as a cradle Catholic and active in the church, I still have much to learn. God bless you.

Posted by pgk on Monday, Mar 18, 2013 10:21 AM (EDT):

Boff is a supporter of liberation theology and Marxism. Der Spiegel is a left-wing publication giving him a platform to attack the Church. He is a political enemy of the pope and trying to discredit him. I wouldn’t believe much of what he says.

Posted by Aloysius Duque on Monday, Mar 18, 2013 1:51 AM (EDT):

Thank you very much. Continue to do your great apostolate.

Posted by JM on Sunday, Mar 17, 2013 5:12 PM (EDT):

Thank you for your sage and balanced contributions to the catholic blogosphere.

I was very moved by Pope Francis’ public apparitions in the first days of his pontificate. But this joy has been somewhat disturbed by some posts on some blogs like roratecaeli.

The most recent edition of the German magazine Der Spiegel contains an interview with Leonardo Boff about Pope Francis. Among other things, he makes one very concrete affirmation:
“A couple of months ago, for instance, he expressly approved that a homosexual couple adopt a child.”

This is in blatant contradiction to the public affirmations of Pope Francis on the matter, e.g. to the letter he sent to the Carmelites in Argentina. Now Boff makes this allegation. Could you please try to clarify this question?

It would be tranquilizing if you could shed some light on this (and other matters).

I would also like to draw your attention to this beautiful interview Card. Bergoglio gave some time ago (in spanish):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ1ZczyyKwM

Thank you.
JM

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About Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant pastor or seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith. Eventually, he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is a Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to This Rock magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."